Sermon Audio

Lukus Counterman - Wisdom is skill for living when there is no obvious rule to go by. That is what the book of Proverbs is for – God’s wisdom for complicated lives. A major area where wisdom helps us is friendship. Without friends, people suffer a painful awareness of being disconnected and alone. One research study concluded that loneliness was a serious personal problem for at least 10% of the general adult population. The first thing in human history that was “not good” was aloneness. Friendship is one of God’s means of comforting hearts and developing community. Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly.” An accompanying maxim goes like this, “I went out to find a friend but could not find one there. I went out to be a friend, and friends were everywhere.” Don’t let loneliness paralyze you, reach out and be a friend. May the Lord guide us in scripture about how to be a friend and how to find a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Wisdom is the word (hokmah) in Hebrew, and means “skill” or “expertise.” In Proverbs, it is the skill or expertise of living. Proverbs picks up the details of life that are too small to be caught in the mesh of the law and too fine to be hit with the broadside of the prophet. Proverbs talks about things like the type of person you want to live with or employ. It speaks to things like managing your affairs, your time, and even yourself. It addresses people like that neighbor woman who talks too much, or that cheerful soul who is unbearable in the early morning. It deals with the friend who is always dropping in, or the child who wanders about aimlessly. But don’t mistake Proverbs for a portrait album of different types of people, or a simple a book of manners or moralisms. The book of Proverbs holds all of life up to an overarching question “Is this wisdom or folly?” The wisdom taught here is God-centered because even the most down-to- earth elements talk about handling life in God’s world in submission to God’s will. (Prov. 22:19) “I have made them known to you today… that your trust may be in the LORD.”

Speaker: Will Galkin - How many times does a Christian have to be rejected until they stop sharing their faith? Have you noticed that It does not take much opposition to cause believers to question if the Message of Christ is Sufficient for our Pluralistic Society? Being a real Christian in western culture is not becoming easier. To be an outspoken Christian is frowned upon. Preaching the exclusivity of Christ is the quickest way to be labeled intolerant and a bigot. Many Christians are tempted to question if a life of intentional ministry is worth all of the trials and hardships that come with it. Is the Message of Christ sufficient for today? How are we to live a life of ministry in a culture that redefines truth, undermines Scriptural authority and challenges everything? How do we communicate the sufficiency of Christ to our culture? Thankfully, God gave us the Apostle Paul for an example. Paul faced many afflictions for the Gospel. In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul recounts his imprisonments, beatings, shipwrecks, hunger, sleepless nights, and the constant pressure regarding the health of the churches. On top of all this, false teachers were incessantly opposing him. Some had apparently come into the church of Corinth and attacked Paul by saying he was weak, dishonest, and a corrupter of God’s Word. If anyone had an earthly reason to give up and lose heart, it was Paul. His response was not to commend himself but rather remind the Corinthian believers of what God had done in their lives. He then let their testimony stand as a letter of recommendation commending the authenticity of His ministry. With this backdrop, Paul in 2 Cor. 4 declares what true ministry should look like in the midst of a hostile environment. He reminds us that the message of Christ is sufficient.

Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Before we ever went, God called us to “Come.” Before we ever sought, God revealed himself and said, “Behold Me.” When the gulf between us and God was as far as the heavens from the earth, God displayed his love to span the distance. He sent his inspired and incarnate Word like rain to quench the thirst of our parched souls. In Isaiah 55:10-13 we find that God’s Word, like rain, will fulfill it’s purpose, fundamentally change us, and in the end bring Him glory. Even before we study the text together this morning, would you pray and ask God to cause hearts that are like the desert to bloom and souls that are like the barren heights to sprout. Would you pray and ask God to send His Word like rain.

Speaker: Jonathan Albright - We live in a day when it seems that you can find a worship service that meets the expectations of almost anyone, no matter what those expectations are. Should the service include a large choir, no choir, worship band? Is the format to reflect strict formal liturgy that is highly structured, or free flowing and spontaneous? Does the music have to represent a particular style? - loud music, soft music, mainly singing worship choruses, or should it mainly be hymns? Such considerations surface an important question. What are the characteristics of healthy church worship? Our text this morning provides us with an illuminating glimpse into the Apostle Paul’s understanding of the corporate worship of the early church and highlights for us three characteristics by which we should measure the health of our church worship.